New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg withdrew from consideration for Commerce Secretary in part because of policy differences with the White House over the 2010 census.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A report that the Obama administration will name an advocate of statistical sampling as the next census director has set off a fusillade of Republican criticism even though that choice has not been formally announced.

The Associated Press reported Thursday afternoon that the White House intends to nominate University of Michigan Prof. Robert M. Groves as the census director. Groves worked for the Census Bureau during the last census in 1990, and recommended at that time that the national head count be statistically adjusted to compensate for a possible undercount of millions of Americans.

"If true, this is an incredibly troubling selection that contradicts the Administration's assurances that the census process would not be used to advance an ulterior political agenda," California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said in a statement. "We have a constitutional obligation to count every American – not use the end result of a statistical formula. . . . Mr. Groves will have every opportunity to address these concerns during the confirmation process."

The reaction from North Carolina Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry was even more forceful. "The fight to protect the accuracy and independence of the 2010 Census has just begun," McHenry, ranking member on a House subcommittee with jurisdiction over the census, said Thursday.

President Obama's decision to nominate Sen. Judd Gregg, a Republican from New Hampshire, as Commerce Secretary sparked partisan concern on both sides of the aisle over the 2010 census. Gregg subsequently withdrew his name from consideration for the Cabinet post in part over policy differences with the new administration over the 2010 census.

soundoff(10 Responses)

Another day, another radical appointee. I bet he hasn't paid his taxes either.

April 2, 2009 04:29 pm at 4:29 pm |

Diana

Republicans "blast" everything. What new?

April 2, 2009 04:32 pm at 4:32 pm |

Warren

The party of NO strikes again.

They're nothing but background noise.

April 2, 2009 04:35 pm at 4:35 pm |

Pete

Another day, another Republican freakout over imaginary political conspiracies. I have a fresh $100 bill that says that the GOP will file a federal lawsuit seeking to invalidate whatever this Census comes up with.

April 2, 2009 04:35 pm at 4:35 pm |

Brian Crooks

Any chance President Obama does anything EVER that the GOP doesn't feign outrage at?

April 2, 2009 04:35 pm at 4:35 pm |

Chipster

Republicans complaining? whining? pouting? What a surprise!

April 2, 2009 04:36 pm at 4:36 pm |

Pat F

What a disgrace. The last bastion of non-partisan Washington is now converted to a political football by the Obamessiah.

This is going to come back to haunt the Democrats in ways they aren't smart enough to see. What a shame.

April 2, 2009 04:36 pm at 4:36 pm |

Dutch, Bad Newz, VA

Just like republicans to jump the gun before it even goes off. I'm 100% positive there are millions of Americans unaccounted for. There are plenty of convicted felons who don't get surveyed for the national census and they are born and raised Americans. Not to mention all the illegal immigrants that are here.

April 2, 2009 04:39 pm at 4:39 pm |

Michael in Houston, Texas

Yeah I can see the Repubs having a problem with this since the census does not count all blacks, hispanics and asians. Okay back away from the keyboards hood wearers, it's a fact, proven time and time again.